The proliferation of technology in recent years has led to software engineering becoming one of the most in-demand professions in the workplace. Software engineers are responsible for everything from developing apps, software, and games, to maintaining and optimizing existing technology systems

Considering how much value they provide to a large variety of companies, it comes as no surprise that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of software developers will grow 21 percent from 2018 to 2028. This is a significantly faster rate than the average projected growth for all occupations, which sits at only 5 percent. This is great news for software engineers, right?

Well, on one hand, more jobs mean more employment opportunities. On the other hand, competition is already rife, and will only get worse. After all, the number of high-quality jobs still outweighs the number of low-quality ones and there are millions of software engineers already vying for the same jobs. The latest research from Evans Data Corporation estimates that there are 4.4 million developers in North America alone. 

So how do you ensure that your dream company chooses you as their next software engineer? Apply with a world-class software engineer resume. Without a resume that showcases why you’re the right person for the job, you won’t be able to score an interview - even if you tick all the boxes. If you don’t know how to create a resume that will impress recruiters, take a read of our expert guide below. 

Our software engineer resume template and writing guide will:

• Provide you with software engineer resume template samples
• Teach you how to create an ideal resume that impresses recruiters
• Highlight what you should include and avoid
• Show you how to make a professional resume using a resume builder

1. Multiple Template Examples

2. How to Write an Eye-Grabbing Software Engineer Resume

How to format your software engineer resume

A reverse-chronological format is the most logical way to format your software engineer resume. This format directs recruiters to your most recent work experience first, and then the next most one, in reverse-chronological order.

The reason why you should set your resume up in this way is because recruiters usually pay particular attention to where you’re currently working and what you’ve achieved so far (or, if you’re currently unemployed, what your last job was and what you achieved there). This gives them a strong indication of where you are career-wise and whether it’s a good fit for the role at hand.

Another important section to feature in your resume is your “Education” section. This section should be relatively shorter than your experiences section as it should simply state key details about each educational experience e.g. your school, degree, major, and the years attended. That is, unless you lack work history - in which case you can include some details about your educational achievements.

There are also certain rules of thumb you should follow for the layout of your resume. We’ve listed the most important ones below:

• • Number of Pages: 1 page only.
  • Fonts to Use: Standard professional and easy-to read fonts such as Gill Sans and Cambria.
  • Fonts to Avoid: Any experimental, boxy, or “robotic-looking” fonts such as Roboto Mono.
  • Margins: 1 inch on all sides.

• Line Spacing: 1 or 1.15.

• Header size: 14-16 point size.
• Text size: 11-12 point size.

What recruiters will look for

Recruiters aren’t just looking for software developers who offer standard attributes such as a solid educational background, an impressive skill set, and relevant work experiences. They are after someone who genuinely brings something unique to the table. 

As we mentioned above, software engineering is a very competitive industry. By implication, every open role will attract hundreds, if not thousands, of applications, particularly if it’s at a well-known company such as Google, Facebook, or IBM. 

Recruiters therefore have no shortage of software engineer resumes to select from. This makes it imperative that your resume convinces them that you’re a one-of-a-kind candidate who can’t be passed up. Recruiters are looking for someone who’s clearly put effort into their application, while offering the right combination of skills and experiences needed to excel in the job.

You can convince a recruiter you’re who they’re looking for by ensuring your resume is logically formatted with a clean and simple layout. This will show you’re a consummate professional who values the recruiter’s time. You will also need to be strategic about which information you choose to present on your resume, as well as how you present it. To put it simply, your resume needs to present your skills and experiences in the best possible light. You can achieve this by paying careful attention to best practices for writing it, as our guide here highlights.

What skills to mention and how to do it correctly

Many software engineer resumes focus exclusively on candidates’ technical skills. While showcasing your technical skills is undeniably crucial, it’s vital that your resume demonstrates that you’re a well-rounded employee. Think about it: no one wants to work with someone who’s technically adept but lacks interpersonal and organizational skills.

Unlike your technical skills (which we discuss further directly below), you shouldn’t include your soft skills in a separate skills section. Instead, incorporate them naturally into your job experience section. For example:

• Compiled and presented key findings of a comprehensive technical report which identified major vulnerabilities in the company’s software, resulting in the implementation of greater security measures.  

The job description above not only effectively shows off the candidate’s technical abilities (i.e. identifying vulnerabilities and compiling a technical report), but also their soft skills (i.e. presenting their findings and their strong communication abilities).

If you’re having trouble figuring out which soft skills you can offer an employer, consider the following:

• Creativity
• Dependability
• Team work skills
• Time management skills
• Presentation skills
• Decision-making skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Integrity

How to list your technical skills and which ones should be mentioned

Recruiters won’t bother trying to figure out if you have the right technical skills to succeed in a job. Instead, they’ll select a candidate who has made their technical skills known from the get-go in their resume.

This is why it’s absolutely imperative that you feature your technical skills prominently. However, don’t just list an assortment of technical skills you have. They need to be relevant to the job you’re applying for. For example, if a job ad states that a company is after an iOS app developer, they want someone who has the specific skills necessary to effectively develop and maintain iOS apps. 

Once you have determined which skills to focus on, list them out in a dedicated section titled “Skills.” Only feature your technical skills in this section - no other types of skills should be included. 

You should also make sure to intertwine your technical skills in your job experience section. Doing so will help add substance to your achievements and give you yet another excuse to highlight what a highly-skilled professional you are.   

If you need some ideas of what technical skills to include, check out our list of popular ones below:

• Computer programming languages (e.g. Ruby, Java, JavaScript, HTML, C Language, C++, C#, HTML, Python, etc)
• Network protocols
• Tutorials and Demos
• Developing mobile and PC apps
• Data structures and algorithms
• Software debugging
• DevOps
• Documentation
• Databases and indices
• Object-oriented design
• Agile processes
• Status tracking tools 
• Security testing

Pro tip: If you have space, you can also mention one or two of your most eye-catching skills in your resume objective or resume summary.

How to show what you’ve achieved with each of your skills

The best way to show what you’ve achieved with each of your skills is to let your job experiences do the talking for you. Your job experiences should not just state what you have done in each role, they should also communicate how you drew on your skills to achieve impressive results. 

For example, if you want to show off your strong Java skills, highlight a concrete example of when you used them to advance the interests of your company. Likewise, if you are proud of your ability to work well in a team, be sure to include an eye-catching example which illustrates your strong collaboration skills.

What achievements to mention and how to do it correctly

When it comes to putting together an eye-grabbing software engineer resume, the achievements you choose to feature is one of the most important decisions you will make. 

Any achievements that are either a) irrelevant or b) written in a way that doesn’t immediately wow should be replaced or rewritten. You should primarily mention achievements that the recruiter is seeking from an ideal candidate. The best way to work out what these are, take a close look at the job ad. It will likely explicitly state which skills and experiences a company is seeking under the heading “Our ideal candidate will possess...”

You can also mention any other achievements that would pique a recruiter’s interest, such as those that had a significant and measurable impact on your company.

When writing out your achievements, your primary aim should be to engage the recruiter, and make them curious to find out more in person. This is why you should not only describe what your achievements are, but also why they are noteworthy. Where possible, it’s a good idea to quantify your results to drive home why they are valuable.

For example, the following achievement is written in such a bland and uninspiring way that it would make a recruiter’s eyes glaze over:

• Made changes to the company’s e-commerce software to make it faster and more popular than before.

Compare it to this version of the same achievement, which uses far more engaging and results-focused language that would instantly grip a recruiter:

• Upgraded and optimized the company’s e-commerce software to improve efficiency and usability, leading to a 200% increase in speed and 320% more visitors.

As the above example shows, on a resume, an achievement is only as good as you can describe it. You can turn a humble achievement into an eye-catching one, and an incredible achievement into a lacklustre one, simply by the language you use.

What to avoid mentioning

Your software engineering resume needs to clearly communicate why you’re the right software engineer for the specific job you’re applying for. Consequently, unless you have no experience in the field, you should only mention skills and achievements that are related to software engineering.

Leaving such information in will detract from your software engineering achievements and confuse the recruiter as to which type of work you actually want to undertake. In short, it’s preferable for your resume to be tight and have white space than be clogged up with irrelevant information. 

Pro tip: Are you wondering how you can prevent your resume from looking patchy if you lack professional experience in software engineering? Read the section below, “How to write a resume when you have no experience” for our expert tips.

How to write a resume objective (with examples)

If you’re just getting your start in the world of software engineering, it’s strongly recommended that your resume features a well-written resume objective. A resume objective is useful for novice software engineers as it gives you the chance to win over a recruiter even if you’re lacking professional experience. 

Your resume objective should tell the recruiter why you are worthwhile considering for the position. You therefore need to put your best foot forward by highlighting your most notable attributes and achievements. It’s even better if you can communicate how these attributes will benefit the company. 

Recruiters are always interested to discover why you even want a job in their company in the first place. So don’t forget to include your overall work goals in your resume objective.

Here are some examples of resume objectives to inspire your own:

• Final year BS Computer Systems Engineering student at UGA with a 3.5 GPA looking for a fast-paced software engineering position in the non-profit sector. Active member of the Society of Women Engineers University of Georgia Student Branch.

• Driven software engineer specializing in React and iOS app development aspires to work as a junior software engineer in an innovative company like Creative Minds Co. Has 1 year of experience as a junior app developer at a Forbes 500 company. Recently awarded Employee of the Month.    

How to write a resume summary (with examples)

Once you have more than a couple of years of experience, you will need to replace your resume objective with a resume summary. A resume summary is a brief statement about the most valuable professional experiences and skills you offer. 

Aim to make your resume summary as relevant to the job you’re applying to as possible. Keep the recruiter’s objectives in mind, and shape your resume summary accordingly. For example, if you are applying for a job primarily involving JavaScript development, highlight an achievement which involves you using it.

You should also emphasize any professional experiences that show your determination to grow professionally, such as any conferences and seminars you are/were involved in, and certifications you hold.

To get you started on writing your own resume summary, consider the following examples:

• Detail-oriented software engineer with over 6 years of app development experience at Stellar App, including 2 years of managerial experience. Holds Oracle Certified Master (OCM) certification and attends DeveloperWeek every year.

• Searching for an opportunity to apply my strong C++ and security testing skills developed over 8 years working at Crystalize Co. Regularly conducts in-house seminars for fellow software engineers and is a 2x speaker at Startup Grind Global.

Pro tip: To catch the recruiter’s eye, highlight your soft skills in addition to your technical skills. 

How to list any additional details, like certifications, awards, hobbies, and interests

Certifications

Listing additional details that are relevant to software engineering can be just the thing that adds some extra flair to your resume. 

We strongly recommend that you clearly list any relevant certifications in a separate section called “Certifications.” Doing so will show that you have proactively sought to improve your soft engineering knowledge and skills. Some examples of certifications you may hold include: 

• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certification
• CCA Spark and Hadoop Developer certification
• CIW Web Foundations Associate certification
• Oracle Certified Associate (OCA), Oracle Certified Professional (OCP), Oracle Certified Specialist (OCS), and Oracle Certified Master (OCM) certifications

Hobbies and interests

There are only a few circumstances in which we recommend including your hobbies and interests on your resume. The reason we generally advise excluding them is because they take up precious real estate on your resume which could otherwise be used to emphasize more relevant information. 

One circumstance you should make sure to include them is if the job description requires it. Some companies ask applicants to include this information on their resume, by writing something along the lines of, “We want to find out more about who you are, so be sure to mention your hobbies and interests on your resume!”

In such a case, you can list out your hobbies in a section called “Hobbies.” You should only list 2 to 3, unless otherwise advised. Your hobbies don’t need to be software engineering related - so feel free to be truthful. Ultimately, they should give the recruiter an insight into what makes your mind tick outside of work.

The only other circumstance where hobbies could aid, rather than hinder, your chances of scoring a job is if you have no work experience. We’ll explain more details about this directly below. 

How to write a resume when you have no experience

If you have no professional software engineering experience to your name, the good news is that you will still be able to put together an eye-catching resume. However, you’ll need to be strategic about putting it together.

Instead of focusing on what you don’t have (that is, professional experience), focus on what experiences and skills you do have. Here are a few ideas that are sure to impress:

• • Your education: Are you a new grad or currently enrolled in a college degree, community college course, or an online course relevant to software engineering? Be sure to include this information in your resume’s “Education” section. Note your major, minor (if any), and any programming coursework you have completed to date. You can even flesh this section out with bulleted points about your most noteworthy achievements.

  • Internship experiences: Internships should definitely be listed in the “Experience” section of your resume. If you don’t have any directly relevant to software engineering, feel free to include details about how you used relevant skills such as computer skills.

• Personal Projects: Personal projects which require you to draw on your software engineering skills can quickly capture the attention of a recruiter. Is there an app you’re working on that you’ve coded all by yourself? A personal website that already has 1000 visitors? Or how about an open source project you’re actively contributing to? Projects like these show your initiative and enthusiasm to recruiters. Include them under the heading “Software Projects”.

• Your skills: Even if you’ve haven’t yet worked as a software engineer, doesn’t mean you don’t have plenty of attractive skills to offer employers. In the “Skills” section of your resume, list any software engineering skills you have - even those you don’t have formal training in. Just be sure to note your level of proficiency for each skill. For example, JavaScript (proficient), HTML (advanced), CTT (familiar), etc.

If your resume is still looking too sparse, you may wish to add a “Hobbies” section. Ideally, you should list at least a few hobbies that have relevance to software engineering. For example, contributing to an open source project.

One piece of advice that every resume expert can agree to is the importance of targeting your resume for each application. The reason it is so vital to customize your resume each and every time you apply for a job is because applying with the same resume will drastically diminish your chances of a recruiter contacting you.

After all, recruiters can instantly recognize the difference between a generic resume an applicant sends out to a number of companies and one they have spent the time to specially put together just for their company. Needless to say, a recruiter will be far more interested in a candidate whose resume conveys their suitability to a position at their specific company.

The most straightforward way to ensure your resume is unique each time is to specifically address the criteria found in each job ad. Your resume should basically serve as a platform to show how you meet most or all of the criteria the recruiter is looking for. 

Incorporate any relevant language and “keywords” that feature in the job ad into your own resume. This is vital for two reasons. Firstly, doing so will demonstrate to the recruiter that you effectively address the criteria they’re looking for and that you’re taking the effort to apply with an original resume.

Secondly, it will prevent your resume from being passed over by applicant tracking software (ATS). ATS is a software program that HR professionals use to streamline the hiring process. It works by automatically filtering applications based on given criteria such as keywords. That means your application could be dismissed by a piece of software even before being seen by a human!

Pro tip: Don’t dismiss the prevalence of ATS! Research from Jobscan found that at least 98.2% of Fortune 500 use an ATS. 

4. How to Use a ResumeBuild Template to Make a Software Engineer Resume

If you follow all of the expert tips we’ve shared in this guide, you’ll significantly increase your chances of scoring an interview. However, we know there are a lot to follow, and that you’d rather spend your time advancing your skills than tweaking your resume. 

That’s why we suggest using a resume template instead. It’s the best hack you’ll come across for making an eye-grabbing software engineer resume recruiters can’t get enough of.

At ResumeBuild, we have dozens of resume templates you can choose from. For example, our Gravity resume template gives your resume a modern but professional feel. The blue icon accents besides each heading help to catch the recruiter’s attention, while the layout is optimized to present your skills and experiences in a highly-organized manner. 

To help you put together your resume with one of templates, we’ve created an intuitive and easy to use resume maker. It is designed to give you step-by-step guidance so you can complete each section of your resume to perfection. 

Not only will it tell you exactly what information you need to include, it will also provide you with plenty of pre-made examples of job descriptions just for software engineer resumes. To use them, head to the “Experience” section in our builder. Under the “Career field” subsection, select “Computers and Technology.” Then, under “Career subfield” select “Software Engineering.” You can now select any pre-written examples you’d like to use either as-is or with some editing.

Give our resume maker a go for yourself, and you’ll see why thousands of people now rely on ResumeBuild to help perfect their resumes.

IT support is an often undervalued profession. Despite playing a fundamental role in ensuring customers' IT queries are resolved efficiently and effectively, many individuals fail to understand just how crucial IT support professionals are.

They may not appreciate that without the technical expertise and guidance IT support specialists and technicians provide to customers, these customers would become increasingly frustrated with the product or service they’re experiencing difficulty with.

If this frustration is not quickly dealt with by skilled IT support professionals, it can quickly boil over and negatively impact their perceptions about the company itself. As if that weren’t bad enough, if too many negative customer experiences stack up, it can lead to loss of revenue and reputation for the company.

So what does this all have to do with making an IT support resume? Well, a recruiter may be one of those very people who don’t quite understand what makes IT support professionals so vital. Your resume will therefore need to clearly convey the ways in which you’ll be an integral part of the company if they choose to hire you. Even if a recruiter appreciates the value IT support professionals bring, your resume will still need to make it crystal clear why they should hire you out of all of the other candidates who also applied.

If you’re wondering how you can make such a remarkable resume, you’ve come to the right place. This guide not only includes eye-grabbing IT support resume examples, but also a plethora of insider resume tips and tricks. After reading it, you’ll be 10x clearer about:

• How to optimally format your IT support resume
• Which sections are essential to include
• How to shine a light on your training and certifications
• The best approach to writing your achievements
• How to stand out from the pack

1. Multiple Template Examples

2. How to Write an IT Support Resume That Will Get You Noticed

How to format an IT Support Resume

For better or worse, correct formatting is absolutely crucial in an IT support resume. Even if you manage to write precisely what a recruiter wants to read, your resume will leave some serious questions in their mind if it’s poorly formatted.

It’s good news for you, then, that correctly formatting your resume correctly couldn’t be easier. While a handful of resume formats exist, your best bet is to make use of a reverse-chronological format.

A reverse-chronological format is the most ideal choice for experienced professionals because it focuses the hiring manager’s attention on your extensive professional experience. The reason it carries its name is because in this format, your work history is arranged in reverse-chronological order (that is, from most to least recent).

Now that you’re clear about how to format your resume, there’s another important matter you’ll need to attend to: your resume’s layout. A number of considerations are encompassed by this including: your resume’s length, the font you use, margin width, line spacing, and the size of headings and text . Likewise to your resume’s format, recruiters are notoriously selective about which layout guidelines candidates should follow. We’ve included the most universally-accepted ones below:

• • Number of Pages: 1 page total.
  • Fonts to Use: Standard, easy-to-read fonts such as Calibri and Arial. 
  • Fonts to Avoid: Any unique fonts that require downloading in order to use or view, such as Countryside and Alcubierre Regular.
  • Margins: 1 inch on all sides.

• Line Spacing: 1 or 1.15.

• Header size: 14-16 point size.
• Text size: 11-12 point size.

Pro tip: If you’re an entry-level candidate, swap a reverse-chronological format for a functional one. A functional resume format conveniently shifts attention away from your lack of experience by emphasizing your relevant skill set first and foremost.

Which sections should you include in the resume?

In order to ensure a hiring manager seriously considers your application, your resume needs to include a handful of fundamental sections. Below, we’ve listed the key sections that every IT support resume should feature. Be sure to double-check that your resume includes them before clicking “Submit” on your application.

• Contact Information: You must provide the recruiter with your basic contact information such as your name, email address, home address, best contact number, and LinkedIn profile URL (if you have one). This information will allow them to reach out to you if they have any questions about your application, update you about the status of your application, or – fingers crossed – invite you to an interview.

• Resume Objective or Resume Summary: While arguably an optional section, we strongly recommend for entry-level professionals to include a resume objective and for more experienced professionals to include a resume summary. These sections provide you with the opportunity to not only state emphatically why you’re the ideal candidate for the job, but also to summarize the reasons why you hold this to be true.

• Employment History: This section provides an insightful overview of all the relevant roles you’ve worked in. In addition to stating the name of each company, your position there, and the dates you worked, be sure to also highlight your most relevant and noteworthy achievements. Where possible, always strive to quantify your achievements.

• Education: In this section, you should offer basic details about your high school education and/or college degree. Even if the job you’re applying for doesn’t require you to have achieved a certain level of education, this section is considered to be a standard part of any resume.

• Training and Certifications: If you’ve undertaken any training or certifications that have enabled you to further develop your knowledge of and skills in IT support, provide key details about them in this section.

• Skills: One of the most important sections in your entire resume, the “Skills” section puts a spotlight on your most relevant and impressive skills. Aim to list 6 to 8 of them that match those stated in the job ad. Remember to include a balance of both hard and soft skills.

Pro tip: Surprised to see that a “References” section isn’t included in our list above? This isn’t an oversight – including references is considered by recruiters to be completely redundant. The long and the short of it is that if a recruiter, hiring manager, or your potential future boss wants to contact your references, they’ll directly ask you for their details.  

How do you list your education, as well as your additional training and certifications?

Education

Let’s start by talking about the elephant in the room. Most IT support applicants have a similar level of education. When a hiring manager is flicking through resumes, they’re confronted with carbon copies of the standard spiel. It’s your job to break up the monotony.

Ensure that you list your education clearly and effectively. Start with the basics, which are as follows: 

• Name of the degree or diploma
• Name of the school or university 
• The State the school or university is located in
• Dates attended

For example:

EDUCATION

• High School Diploma, Whitney High School, CA, 2016 - 2020

So far, so generic. The hiring manager will see a plethora of resumes stating the above and nothing more. To give you a leg-up, sprinkle in some extra details. Adding interesting nuggets of information will stop them in their tracks. 

What did you do during your diploma or degree that gives you the edge? If you’re looking for some inspiration, consider the following examples. Did you take optional extra classes? Were you involved in a peer tutoring program? Perhaps you took the lead on a class project? 

Rack your brains for these gems and include them beneath the basic education information in bullet points. Use no more than five-to-six lines to get your message across but be detailed. If you state that you “tutored fellow students,” quantify that by adding how many students and for how long. Evidencing the claims that you make will help the hiring manager see your potential as a candidate.

Training and certifications

Next up, let’s talk about any additional training and certifications you may have. If you’ve been in the IT support game for a matter of years, you may have used these extras to level up. Include a “Training and Certifications” section directly below your “Education” section. 

This list doesn’t need to be as detailed as your main education section. However, you’ll still need to get the basic details down. That means including: 

• The name of the training or certification 
• The name of the school or institute that issued it
• The state you completed it in
• The start and end date or the year you completed it in

For example:

TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS

• HDI Customer Service Representative (HDI-CSR), HDI, CA, 2020

Pro tip: Most of the time, you can leave your “Training and Certifications” section in the format we provided above. However, if your resume is looking a bit bare, you may wish to include a few bullet points underneath that highlight a few insights about anything that was specifically impressive about the training or certification. Remember to make them as relevant to the job ad as possible!

Which hard and soft skills should be mentioned on a resume?

Over your time in-industry, you’ll have gathered an array of dazzling skills. You need to show them off. The “Skills” section of your IT support resume is your time to shine. You should be sure to include 6 to 8 relevant skills in list form here. You’ll also need to smoothly incorporate a range of skills into your “Employment History” section as well as a few in your “Resume Objective” or “Resume Summary” section.

It’s vital to note that you should use a variety of hard and soft skills under the same header. There’s no benefit to separating your skills into two sections. While you may be under the impression that IT support roles are fundamentally technical, you’re mistaken. 

What makes these positions so challenging is that not only do you need to have the tech know-how, but you also need to be able to articulate it well. You’ll be dealing with a variety of people, from professionals to customers, so soft skills matter too. 

Hard skills

First up, let’s deal with the hard skills that you should mention. To get an idea of the exact skills you’ll need to excel in the role, refer back to the original job posting. Try to match your skill set to the advert as closely as possible so you can align them with the hiring manager’s requirements. If you do so, they’ll no doubt bookmark you as a prime candidate for the job! 

If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are some of the hard skills a recruiter could be looking for:

• Oracle
• Splunk 
• CSS 
• C+
• Remote access
• Remedy ticketing system
• Heat ticketing system 
• Troubleshooting system and network problems 
• Diagnosing and solving hardware or software faults
• Supporting the roll-out of new applications

Soft skills

When you’ve ticked all the hard skills boxes, you’ll need to pepper this section with some soft skills. As an IT support professional, you’ll be the link between technology and the end-user. Put simply, you’ll have the task of communicating highly technical functions to people who likely have zero experience or understanding of them. 

To prove to the hiring manager that you’re the person for the job, use your skills section to highlight your intrapersonal capabilities. Needless to say, just like you did for your hard skills, you should match your soft skills closely to the job posting. If you’re after a glimpse at which ones a recruiter may be after, here are some of the most requested soft skills for IT support jobs:

• Customer service
• Desktop support 
• Problem solving 
• Leadership 
• Service desk 
• Analytical skills 
• Approachable
• Responsible
• Time management skills
• Detail-orientated

How do you highlight your most important achievements

You might be a technical whiz kid, but can you prove it? Within your experience section, you should show off your achievements. Bullet-point specific achievements under the job roles in which they occured. For example, you may want to include details of your performance reviews or average customer ratings within a certain role. 

As a golden rule, apply the ‘show don’t tell’ technique here. Rather than simply stating the facts, help bring them to life by quantifying them and adding some color where possible. Let’s start with what not to do with the following achievement example: 

• Continually received high professional ratings on annual performance reviews.

There’s nothing wrong with the sentiment here. Obtaining high ratings is definitely something you want to shout about. However, the above example lacks depth or detail. Put simply, it’s a vague statement which, when you break it down, doesn’t say much. Rather than making this mistake, you’d do better to adopt the following approach when writing your achievements: 

• Consistently received 9.5+ professional rating on annual performance reviews with a 98% peer satisfaction review. 

Can you spot the difference? In the second example, the candidate takes the time to quantify their achievements. Not only does this approach sound more genuine, but it also paints a vivid picture of the candidate as a consummate professional. With one glance, the hiring manager knows that this candidate will offer a high level of work and ensure that the team is satisfied. 

Pro tip: Remember to include achievements that showcase your intrapersonal skills (aka your soft skills. All IT support professionals are tech-savvy by their very nature, so having ‘people skills’ is a huge deal to recruiters.

How to write a resume objective and where to use it

New to the world of IT support? You’ll need to write a resume objective. In simple terms, this is a short statement of your experience so far and what your future goals are. Keep it short, show some enthusiasm, and shine! 

While you may be tempted to reel-off a generic statement, this part of your resume gives you the chance to stand out from the crowd. Here’s an example of how you can let this golden opportunity slip through your fingers: 

• IT professional with strong technical abilities. Proficient in using Oracle, Splunk, and Microsoft Office. Willing to learn on the job in the hope of progressing fast. 

The above resume objective example missteps a few times. While it’s fine to highlight your most impressive skills within this section, the candidate fails to elaborate on each of them. Simply stating that they can use both Oracle and Splunk is too broad. Instead, the candidate should expand by detailing how and why they use these systems. Equally, they miss the opportunity to explain what they plan to do should they land the role at hand. 

So, how can you avoid this mistake and get your resume objective just right? Let’s take a look at an example of what the same candidate should have written instead: 

• Entry-level IT professional looking to streamline the tech department at JL Cooper Limited. Works well under pressure, can quickly solve user difficulties with 99% accuracy, and has strong communication skills. Previously took the lead on university projects, demonstrating excellent leadership abilities. 

This second example of an IT support resume objective is significantly stronger than the first. The candidate has customized it to the company, even going as far as to name the business. This level of detail serves as proof that you’re not using the same resume objective for every application. 

What’s more, the candidate quantifies their claims, stating that they boast a 99% accuracy rate of solving user difficulties. That’s a huge draw for any hiring manager. After all, who could say no to an IT support professional who can deal with any and all tech-centric obstacles quickly and efficiently?

How to write a resume summary and where to use it

So, you’re a seasoned pro in the realms of IT support? In that case, you’ll need to write a resume summary. This 2 to 3 sentence statement is your elevator pitch. Swiftly tell the hiring manager about your skills, experience, and why they should hire you. 

Avoid blanket statements and vagueness. Instead, be specific and show the hiring manager some evidence. With that in mind, here’s what not to do: 

• Dedicated IT professional with strong work ethic and leadership skills. Proficient in dealing with customer problems, working in a fast-paced environment, and taking a lead on in-house projects. Expert in Oracle and Splunk. 

To the naked eye, the above resume summary hits some of the main points a hiring manager would be looking for. The candidate has laid-out their abilities and even included programs in which they are an expert. However, look a little closer and you’ll see that some vital information is missing. Compare it to this next example of what the candidate should have written:

• IT professional boasting 10+ years’ industry experience leading in-house projects using Oracle for data warehousing. Proficient in solving customer problems at 98% accuracy while excelling in a fast-paced environment. I wish to bring these skills as well as my positive approach to customer service to the part-time IT support role at Clive & Co.

It hardly takes Sherlock Holmes to detect the difference here! The candidate has used evidence and detail to bring life to their summary. For instance, they mentioned their years of experience, accuracy level, and the capacity in which they use Oracle. 

They also directly referred to the company as well as the position they are applying for in order to reassure the hiring manager that they created their resume summary exclusively for Clive and Co. Any hiring manager would appreciate the extra care this shows as many candidates simply copy and paste their resume summary from one application to another. 

As you can see, adding in these seemingly minor details could be the difference between the ‘no pile’ and the ‘yes pile’. Be sure to do the same when writing your own.

How to write a technical support resume when you have little or no experience

Lacking experience? There’s no need to panic. Remember that every candidate has to get their start somewhere. When you’re taking your first step on the career ladder, you may wonder how to write your resume. Before you get typing, here are some ground rules to get you started:

• Be upfront about your experience level 
• Avoid embellishing experience (you’ll get found out!)
• Emphasize your education and skills
• Show your enthusiasm

Since you don’t have a lot to work with, the bulk of your IT support resume will rely on your education and skills, as well as your training and certifications. Ensure that these areas of your resume are crisp and clear for the hiring manager. As we’ve already mentioned, the more evidence you can give that you’re the right choice for the job, the better your chances of catching their attention will be.

Once you’ve got that down, go back over your resume, and include details of any relevant voluntary work or related experiences. While you may not have specifically worked in an IT department, you may have experience that relates to this field. For instance, have you worked in customer service dealing with technical products? If so, mention it! 

You may wish to also briefly mention your future goals in your resume objective. Where do you see yourself in five years? How will your progression benefit the company you’re applying for? Including some projections will show the hiring manager that you’re serious about this role and the company at hand.

Do these things, and you’ll soon be on your way to racking up years of experience in the industry.

How to make your resume stand out

Want to all but guarantee you’ll be hired for the job you want? You can’t settle with submitting a good or even a very good resume. You need to submit a resume which is by all accounts superb. Here are a few tips that are easy to implement but will massively improve your chances of getting hired:

• Keep your resume tight: Many candidates assume that recruiters prefer to see resumes that are packed to the brim with information. However, in actual fact, most recruiters don’t consider resumes that are overly wordy or have large blocks of text without much space in between to be enticing to read. Try your best to strike a balance between including all of the necessary details a recruiter is after and maintaining some white space.

• Exclude any personal/private information: Does your resume include any identifying details about yourself? We’re not talking about your contact details – those are definitely necessary to include! We’re talking about any personal or private details about yourself such as your marital status, political affiliation, age, if you have a disability, whether you have children or not, race, sexual orientation, and gender.
  
  These should all be excluded from your resume. Not only are they big space wasters, but including them also causes more trouble than they’re worth. After all, it’s illegal for a company to discriminate against a candidate based on these factors, so it’s best practice not to mention them in your resume. And in case you were wondering, yes, that means you can and should remove your headshot as well!

• Reassure the recruiter of your suitability for the role: When a recruiter picks up a resume, they’ll run through a number of questions in their head. They do so to figure out if a given candidate will be a good hire. Key questions they will likely ask themselves include: “Does this candidate have the right skill set to excel in the job?” “Does their experience match up with the job’s duties and responsibilities?” “Does this candidate have what it takes to smoothly transition into the new role?” 

Therein lies the key to reassuring the recruiter of your suitability for the role: ensuring that your resume answers these questions in the affirmative. In order to give yourself the best shot of doing so, always customize your resume so it addresses the specific criteria a recruiter is after. To work out what this criteria is, you’ll need to spend some time analyzing the job ad of the role you’re interested in. Look for any mention of which hard and soft skills, experiences, job roles, and qualifications are particularly valued. Then, incorporate any that apply to you into your resume. 

• Demonstrate your attention to detail: IT support professionals need to be detail-oriented in order to succeed. So it’s a no brainer that your resume should reflect this skill in droves. This is why it is critical that your resume boasts absolutely flawless grammar, spelling, and formatting.
  
  It may not seem like a big deal to you if you accidentally write “their” instead of “there” or you carelessly use a mixture of fonts throughout your resume, but it definitely is to a recruiter. Always proofread your resume multiple times and double-check that all stylistic elements are 100% consistent and in line with recruiters’ expectations.

3. How Do You Create a Magnificent IT Support Resume in Just Minutes?

If you’re wondering if the question above is a trick one, we can understand why you’d think that. After all, it’s reasonable to expect that it takes several hours to days to make even a mediocre IT support resume. You only need to read our guide above to see how much work goes into making an eye-grabbing one!

It may come as a surprise, then, that we have a genuine answer to the question above. You can create a magnificent IT support resume in just minutes by using our state-of-the-art resume builder at Resumebuild.com.

Our resume builder dramatically reduces the time it takes to make a strong IT support resume, while simultaneously elevating your chances of making one that will get you hired. How exactly does it achieve this? By cutting the resume process down to only a handful of easy-to-follow steps. Each step focuses on a different section of your resume that recruiters are expecting to see. Once you work your way through all of them, you’ll be rewarded with a well-formatted and well-written resume that recruiters will fight over to read.  

If you’re after some additional guidance, our resume builder has you covered. Just look out for our helpful industry-specific pre-written examples. It’s completely up to you how you use them. You can add them to your resume as is, modify them to better suit your unique skill and experiences, or just use them as inspiration. Another feature our resume maker offers that job seekers have flocked to use are our stunning resume templates. They’re not only visually-appealing, but also 100% HR-friendly. 

Ready to fix up your resume and get hired for that IT support job you’ve been longing for? There’s no need to delay any longer: Get started today!